Method and apparatus for making shoes



Oct. 18, 1955 J. MlCHALEK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHOES Filed March 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 18, 1955 J. MICHALEK 2,720,669

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHOES Filid March 16. 1953 2 Sheets-SheetZ m K w .10 4mm JOSEF M/C'HALEK Patented Oct. 18, 1955 METHOD AND'APPARATUS FOR-MAKING SHOES Josef Michaiek, Stirling, Ontario, Canada,.assignor, by mesne assignments, to International Shoe Machine Con poraiion, Cambridge, Mass., a-corporation of Massachusetts Application Marchlfi, 1953, Serial No. 342,624

11 Claims. (CI. 12-97) This invention relates to apparatus and to a method for preforming the upper front, or toe. portion of a shoe, prior to its assembly in a shoe.

To my knowledge, attempts have'been-made to preform the leather toe portions of shoes by pressing the piece of leather from which the toe portion is to-be made between heated cooperating male and female dies. They have for the most part been abandoned because the resultant formation had objectionable visible marks due to the pressing operation.

I have devised a machine and a methodfor preforming toe portions of shoes which overcomes the defects of the prior art. I employ one toe die or form together with a cooperating wiping die or form having a face that in use is caused to be wiped over the marginal edge portion of the toe form or die. The wiping action tends to stretch the marginal portions of the leather placed overthe toe form. Heat is supplied to eitherthe toe die or the wiper die to heat the so stretched leather and a pressing pressure is applied to permanently set the stretched leather to the shape of the toe die. My invention will be readily understood after reference to the following detailed specification read in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective View of a machine according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a view along the line 22 of'Fig'urel.

Figure 3 is a view of a vamp portion of a shoe having the toe section preformed.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the vamp and wiping dies with their marginal edge and wiping face facing each other.

Figure 5 is a view of a carrier locking device.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are views of part of a lever system for operating the machine of Figure 1, Figures 6 and 3 being side views and Figure 7 being an end view.

Figure 9 is a sectional view along the line 99 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a sectional view along the line 11l'1) of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings and the apparatus there illustrated, numeral 19 generally indicates a table, upon which is rigidly mounted'a post 11, that in turn has a toe forming die 12, formed to the shape of the toe-portion of a shoe, rigidly mounted on its forward end; As is clear from inspection of Figs. 1 and 4, the toe forming die 12 has a fiat horizontal upper face whose forward edge is convex and similar in contour to that of the toe end of a shoe insole, while the end or working surface 16 of the toe formingdie is convex in vertical section. The die 12 is made of bronze orothersuitable die material and is electrically heated. Numeral 13-refers to electricity supply wires'for the heater inside (not-illustrated).

Numeral 14.refers to-a wiping die. and it, according to the invention, is formed with a wiping face 15, that cooperates withthe front marginal edge portion 16of the toedie 12. The wiping diey14also has a fiathorizontal upper face whose rear edge is concavelycurved complementary to the forward edge of the die 12, the working; face 15 of the die 14 being concave in'vertical section (Figs. 1 and 4) and having approximately the same radius of curvature as the working face 16 of the die 12.

Means are provided'for actuating thewiping die 14 from its normal position illustrated in Figure 1, in which the wiping face 15 thereof is below and'with its most forward edge in parallel relation to the most forward edge of the front marginal portion 16 of the toe die 12 upwardly with a wiping motion with respect to the front marginal'edge portion 16-of the toe die, to dispose the face 15 thereof in juxtaposition to the front marginal edge portion 16 of the toe die 12 and thereby to stretch the marginal portions of a piece of leather placed overthe.

toe die as will be referred to later, and then towards the toe die thereby to press and form apiece of-leatherbetween the dies. It should be noted that the wiping die,

when it travels upwardly towards. the toe. die, passessufliciently close thereto to stretch a piece of leather placed over the toe die.

The actuating means just referred to includes a ver tical post 18 rigidly mounted on/table. 19; over which telescopes a first carrier formed from four Side walls 19, 2t}, 21and 22, and a horizontally extendingtop'member 23'rigidly secured to the wall members.

A second carrier member telescopes over the hori-' It comprises a-top: member 24,.side members-25 and26, and bottom-mem zontally extending top member 23.

bers 27 and 28. The wiper die 14 is rigidly secured to the forward end of top member 24.

In'operation, the first carrier member moves vertically,

up from its normal position illustrated in Figure 1, until the face of the, wiping die is'opposed to themarginal front portion of the toe die as illustrated in Figure 4, and then the second carrier member moves in a horizontal direction towards the toe die 12 tocause the face 15 of the wiping die 14 to exert a pressing, pressure towards the marginal front edge. portions ofthetoe die 12.,

The lever system for efiecting the movement of the two carriersjust referred to includes a .bolt 31 that threadedly engages with the front wall 19 of the first carrier member and depends downwardly from the-bottom thereof through an opening 31 in the table top .19. The freeendof bolt 39 is bifurcated. to receive. a pin 32from which. depends a link member33. Linkmemb'er- 33 is formed.

with aslot 34,adjacent one endthat, inoperation, slides over-the pin 35 that is rigidly held between the two downwardly directed rigid posts 36. A. pair of L-shaped.

crank members 37 are pivotally mountedto the link member 33 by meansof the pin 38. Links 39 pivotally connect at one end with the crank members 37 as at 40, and at their other endswith the. shaft 35 as at 41. A- link 42 pivotally connects'with an arm of. each of the crank members 37 through the pin 43 and with the-operating lever 44 as at 45. Operating lever 44 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends as at 46 on the rigid standard 47. A foot pedal 48 is mounted at the free end thereof.

The free end of the crank members 37, in operation, engage with and raise the operating rod 49 that depends from the spacer member 50. Spacer member 50 separates the link arms 51 which, at one free end pivotally, connect with the block 52 andat theirother' free end pivotally connect with the pin 53 that extends through the spacer member 50. Arms 54 pivotally connect at one end with the pin 53 and at the other end Witllfllf: downwardly depending lugs 55 of the second carrier member. It should perhaps be noted that the block- 52 is rigidly secured to the rigid horizontally extending plate 23 of the first carrier member. Numeral 56 is a guide memberthrough which the head 57 and rods 58 can pass during operation and against which one free end of springs 56a 7 The operation of this will be apparent later.

rest. Springs 56a are compressed between head 57 and the second carrier and urge the latter forward as the first carrier initially move upwardly as will be apparent later. Numeral 59 is a post rigidly mounted in the table 10 having a cam surface 60 which controls the point in the operation of the two carriages that the first carriage takes its movement forward towards the toe die 12. It controls the point at which efiective wiping takes place.

When the wiping die 14 is in its normal position with respect to the toe die 12, that is, the position illustrated in Figure l where the first carrier is in its lowermost vertical position and where the second carrier is in its retracted position from the toe die 12 as controlled by the post 59, the operating levers assume the position illustrated in Figure 8, the machine is operated by depressing the foot pedal 48 whereby to cause the lever 42 to raise. As the lever 42 raises, cranks 37 turn in a clockwire direction and link member 33 is raised through the action of the links 39 dueto'the rotation of the cranks 37. This causes the first carrier member to raise to the position indicated in Figures 6 and 7.

As the first carrier is so caused to travel in an upward direction, the roller 61 within the bifurcated end of the member 57, rolls upwardly on the post 59. When the roller engages with the cam surface 60, it permits the.

second carrier member to move forward'towards the toe die 12 under the force of the compressed springs 56a. This forward action of the second carrierdue' to the springs 56a and upward motion of the first carrier achieves the wiping effect of the wiping die with respect to the toe die. The point in the upward travel of the first carrier that the wiping motion takes place can be varied by moving the post 59 in an upward or downward direction, whereby to control the operating point where roller 61 hits cam surface 60; and securing it in place by means of the adjusting bolt 62.

Asthe springs 56:: force the second carrier forward as just explained, the arms 51 and 54 tend to align with each other and also to raise the operating lever 49.

, When the first carrier has been actuatedtowards the upper extremity of its travel and the second carrier has, under the force of springs 56a, been actuated forward to move the face ofthe'wiping die 14 into close juxtaposed relationto the front marginal portions of the shoe die 12, the arms751 and 54 are' almost aligned with each other. At this point of operation, the free ends of the cranks 37 catch up and engage with the lower portion of the operating rod 49"and, as the foot pedal'48 is further depressed, exert an upward force thereon. This straightens the arms Sland 54 and then actually moves their point of pivotal connection of the arms 51 with the block'42 and of the arms 54 with thesupport member 55. As the arms 51 and 54 are so movedbyflthe free end of crank members 37, a very muchgr'eater forward pressing force is exerted on the second carrier member tending ,to force the face of the wiping die carried thereby into close relationship with the marginal portions of the forward end of the shoe die 12. 'This force is dependent upon the pressure exerted on the foot pedal 48 of the lever 44 and verymuch exceeds the force of springs 56a. r

It will be appreciated that the free ends of the cranks 37 do not engage with the operating rod until the first'carrier has almost reached the upper extent of its vertical travel, and the springs have caused the second carrier to movein a horizontal direction where it is in close relationship 'to'the shoe die 12. Very little further movement'of either carriers takes place after the free ends of the cranks 37 engage with the operating rod 49 but a heavy pressurebetween'the wiping 'die' an'd toe die is built-up. Pressure'is'exerted by the cranks through the rod 49 for the purpose of pressing the-twogdies together only-after the wiping die has been wiped over the toe die.

When the pin 53 is actuated above the lines between the pivotal connection of the arms 51 with the block 52 and the point of pivotal connection of the arms 54 with the post 55 it locks in this position and the pressing pressure is maintained until the pin 53 is caused to move in a downward direction across the said lines again. To re lease or cause the pin to so cross the said lines again, I have a release lever pivotally mounted on a pin 71 that extends from the rear block 52 of the second carrier member. Lever 70 has a'finger 72 that engages with one of the arms 51, which in the machine illustrated in Figure 1 is on the opposite side to the one shown, so that when the lever 70 is manually depressed it will actuate the arms 51 in a downward direction to cause the point forward part of which is to be pre-shaped into the shape of a toe. This piece of leather is placed over thetoe die 12 with the marginal portions 74 over the marginal portions 16 of the toe die. The lever 48 is then depressed to cause the first carrier to rise. At the same time, the second carrier will move forward under the force of springs 57a as the roller 61 engages with the cam surface 60. By the time the first carrier is moved to a point adjacent its upper extremity, the second carrier will have been carried forward and the combined movement of. the first and second carrier will have caused the wiping die14 to wipe or stretch the marginal portion 74 of the vamp 73 over the marginal portions 16 of the toe die 12. As the pedal 48 is further depressed the rod 49 will be positively forced in an upward direction by means of the cranks 37 to cause the wiping die-14 to move against the marginal portions of the toe die 12 with a positive pressing force. The toe die 12 is aspreviously explained heated and the. pressing force on the wiped leather in com bination with the heat will set the leather, so that when the wiping die is moved back to its normal position by actuation of the lever 70 and the vamp 73 removed from the toe die 12, the marginal portions 74 of the latter. will retain the shape of the marginal front portion of the toe die 12. a

The pressing pressures are controlled by lengthening or shortening the distance between the sliding bar 57 and the member 24 of the second'carrier member. This is effected by loosening the nuts 75 and screwing the connecting bolt 76 into or out of the member 24.. Once adjustment has been achieved, the bolt 75 is again tightened. The pressure required to set or preform a particular piece of leather will vary with the leather employed. The point at which'the second carrier begins to move forward orat which wiping begins is controlled by adjusting the post 59 up or down as previously explained. As well as the machine for forming toe pieces, I intend to claim the method herein described of preforming the toe portion of a shoe which comprises the steps of wiping or stretching the marginal toe portions of the leather from which it is to be formed over a toe die and then subjecting the so wiped marginal portions to a pressing pressure and heat. A

The temperature to which the toe die 12 is heated will vary with the leather. Some leathers burn very easily and high temperatures cannot be used. With other leathers a higher temperature can be used without danger. Both the temperature to which thedie is heated and the pressure applied are matters of skill in using the machine, the things to be avoided being burning the leather and de-facing the leather. While as here illustrated the upper surfaces of the dies 12 and 14 are horizontal, it is obvious that the machine may be disposed in any convenient operative position, for example so that said surfaces would be vertical, and that when herein reference is made to specific directions of motions of the parts such reference is merely by way of illustration and without limiting intent.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine of the class described, complemental, rigid dies, one having a working face which is convex in vertical section and the other having a working face which is concave in vertical section, means for moving one die relatively to the other in a vertical direction, and means operative, after a predetermined amout of such movement, first resiliently to urge the dies toward each other, and then to force them together with positive unyielding pressure.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the means for applying positive force is so constructed and arranged that when maximum pressure has been attained the parts are locked together.

3. A machine according to claim 1 having means for heating at least one of said dies.

4. In combination, in a machine of the class described, a normally stationary, rigid, toe-forming die whose upper surface has a convex edge similar in contour to that of the toe end of a shoe insole, said die having a working face which is convex in vertical section, a rigid, unitary wiping die whose upper surface has a concavely curved edge complemental to the convex edge of the forming die, the wiping die having a working face which, in vertical section, is concave and of substantially the same radius of curvature as the working face of the forming die, means supporting the wiping die to move both horizontally and vertically, the upper surface of the wiping die being normally below the upper surface of the forming die, and the working face of the wiping die being normally spaced from the working face of the forming die a distance suflicient to admit shoe upper material between said faces, means for moving the wiping die vertically upward, thereby to apply upwiping force to upper material interposed between the dies, means operative, as the upper surface of the wiping die nears the level of the upper surface of the forming die, resiliently to urge the wiping die directly toward the forming die, and means operative, as the upper surface of the wiping die arrives at the plane of the upper surface of the forming die, to apply unyielding force to the wiping die thereby positively to grip upper material between the working faces of the two dies.

5. A machine according to claim 4, wherein the means for resiliently urging the wiping die to move horizontally comprises spring means which constantly tends to move the wiping die toward the forming die, and means operative to determine the point in the upward travel of the wiping die at which said spring means may become effective.

6. A machine according to claim 4, wherein the means for applying unyielding force to the wiping die for moving the latter horizontally comprises a toggle linkage, and means for so actuating the toggle linkage that, when a maximum degree of pressure between the working faces of the dies has been attained, the toggle linkage is locked, thereby holding the working faces of the dies in workcompressing position.

7. A machine according to claim 4, wherein a vertically movable, primary carriage supports a horizontally movable, secondary carriage to which the wiping die is fixed, a treadle for moving the primary carriage upwardly, spring means constantly urging the secondary carriage to move horizontally relatively to the primary carriage, and means normally operative to restrain said spring means from moving the secondary carriage horizontally until the primary carriage has risen to a predetermined point.

8. A machine according to claim 7, wherein the spring restraining means comprises a fixed part having a substantially flat, vertical face which is engaged by a roll mounted on the secondary carriage, said flat face merg ing with a cam surface which, when it is engaged by the roll, as the latter moves upwardly, allows limited horizontal motion of the secondary carriage.

9. A machine according to claim 7, wherein the means for applying unyielding force for moving the secondary carriage horizontally comprises a toggle linkage including pivotally connected links whose remote ends are pivotally secured to the primary and secondary carriages, respectively, and means actuable by the treadle for straightening said toggle linkage thereby to exert positive force for moving the secondary carriage horizontally.

10. A machine according to claim 7 having means for transmitting motion from the treadle to the primary carriage and to the toggle linkage, respectively, said means comprising a vertically movable slide rigidly connected at its upper end to the primary carriage, a lever carried by the slide, a rod connected at one end to one arm of the lever and at its opposite end to the treadle, a link connecting the other arm of the lever, by means of pin and slot connection, to the slide, and a rod connected to the joint of the toggle and whose lower end is in position to be engaged by the first-named arm of said lever as the slide moves upwardly thereby to carry the joint of the toggle beyond its dead-center position.

11. A machine according to claim 10, having manually movable means for unlocking the toggle linkage thereby to permit the dies to separate.

Brock Aug. 15, 1922 Baxter Nov. 20, 1928 

